MAYS IBRAHIM (ABU DHABI)
Abu Dhabi's museums are bringing Emirati heritage to life this Eid Al Adha through interactive workshops, live performances and cultural activities designed for families and younger audiences.
Zayed National Museum's "The Joy of Eid" programme, running from May 27 to 31, will allow visitors of all ages the opportunity to experience Emirati Eid traditions through shared cultural experiences across the museum's public spaces.
The five-day programme will feature "Majlis Zayed National Museum: Sabahiyat Al Eid", an Emirati majlis-inspired experience rooted in community traditions, alongside Nabati poetry performances, traditional food experiences and live oud and rababa music performances.
Visitors will also be able to participate in a range of interactive workshops, including dukhoon-making sessions and Eidiya keepsake creation in addition to heritage games, artisan demonstrations and personalised poetry encounters.
Emirati chef Abeer Allouz will be leading culinary workshops, including tiramisu-making and date-inspired treats rooted in Emirati flavours and hospitality traditions.
Traditional Emirati performances such as Al-Ayyala, Al-Naashat and Al-Harbiya will take place across the museum's public spaces.
Emirati artist Hamad Al Taee, whose bespoke compositions helped shape the museum's multisensory visitor experience, will perform works inspired by the UAE's heritage, identity and cultural landscapes.
Al Ain Museum
At Al Ain Museum, Eid celebrations will unfold through hands-on creative workshops that celebrate Emirati heritage.
Visitors will be able to decorate incense burners and Eid money boxes, colour finjan cups while learning about Emirati hospitality traditions, and make keychains modelled on traditional takiya floor cushions associated with family gatherings.
Children can also take part in "Colours of Heritage", an activity inspired by khanjar (traditional dagger) motifs and henna patterns, while live Al-Ayyala performances celebrating the UAE's folkloric heritage will take place across the museum's grounds.
Throughout the three days of Eid, visitors to the museum will receive heritage-inspired giveaways including ceramic cups, Arabic coffee and handmade coffee infused with cardamom and saffron.
The initiatives reflect a wider effort by museums across the UAE to position cultural institutions as community spaces, offering immersive experiences that connect younger audiences with the country's traditions and heritage.